Parcel-post mail-box.



A. R. HESSE.

PARCEL POST MAIL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED MAYII, 1914.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET l.

Patented Jan. 16, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wibnem ea ff A. R. HESSE.

PARCEL POST MAIL BOX.

APPLlCATLO-N FILED MAYI], I914- L%l2 9%@, Patented Jan. 16,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- 7 J0 gnua'ntoz moved, showing it To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that 1, ALBERT R. Hesse, a citizen of the United States,residing at Kelso, in the county of Sibley, State of Minnesota, haveinvented certain new and useful 1mprovements in Parcel-Post Mail-Boxes;and 1 do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to parcel post mail boxes.

An object of the invention is to provide a box which, is expansibleeither trans versely or longitudinally or in both directions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a box which may 1%adjusted to difi'erent sizes so that it may be made just large enou h toaccommodate the particular package w ich is to be shipped.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means forexpanding the said box in either or both directions.

With the above and other objects in view such as will appear as thedescription progrosses, my invention comprises the combination andarrangement of parts as herein set forth and subsequently claimed.

Referring to the drawing: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a part ofthe cover thereof broken away. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showingthe construction of the inside of the front of the box in elevation andthe construction of the sides, cover and bottom in section. Fig. 3 is asection taken at right angles to Fig. 2, showing the box partly expandedtransversely. Fig. 4 is a plan View of the box with the cover resfpartly expanded. Fig. 5 is a similar view 0 the cover. Figs. 6 and 7are detail views, showing the members for engaging the sides of the boxto expand the cover when the box is expanded. Fig. 8 is a perspectiveview of the means for expand ing the box, with a box shown in dottedlines in lace thereon.

ferring to the drawings by reference characters wherein similar partsare indicated by similar characters, the box is made preferably ofmetal, but may be made of any suitable material possessing thedetpecttlcatton of tettera Patent.

Application died May 11, 1914. serial No. $37,814.

. through the said slot 15 an t aunt-rest MAIL-WWW.

Patented d an. 1e, 1%1'1'.

sired degree of rigidity. Each end of the box is composed of a slidemember 1, and a guide member 2, the latter being composed of spacedparallel plates 3 and 4 joined at their upper edges by a transverseportion 5, the member 1 is slidable between the plates 3 and 4 foradjusting the-ends of the box. 0n the inside plates 4 and adjacent thelower plates 1 and extending inwardly therefrom and through the slots 6are pins 7 having on their inner ends washers 8 to hold them in saidslots 6. These pins and washers cooperate with the slots to hold themembers 1 and 2 of each end together and also limit the movement of saidmembers when the box is expanded transversely, that is by the engagementwith the pins 7 with the ends of the slots 6.

Attached to each of the end plates 1 at the rear edge thereof by angularmembers 9 are slides 10 and 11. On the inside and outside of theseslides are plates 12 and 13 respectively, joined at their upper edges bya transversely extending member 14. The said slides 10 and 11 areadjustable to slide between these plates 12 and 13 on the inside plate12 and adjacent and parallel to the lower edge thereof is a slot 15 andon each of the slides 10 and 11 is a (pin 16 extending held therein bythe washers 17. These pins and slots are adapted to cotiperate in such amanner as to limit the movement of the slides 10 and 11 with relation tothe plates 12 and 13 when the box is being expanded longitudinally.

The construction of the front of the device is practically identicalwith the construction of the back thereof with the exception that theslides corresponding to the slides 10 and 11 are attached at their endsto the members 2 instead of to the plates 1.

Attached to each of the end plates 1 by angular members 16' andextending inwardly therefrom are plates 17' having on their longitudinaledges clips 18 and 19 bent over and parallel with the said plates.Attached to the rear member 13 by an angular member 20 and extendinglnwardly therefrom at its lower edge is a plate 21, the longitudinaledges are arranged to fit under the members 18 and 19 of each of theplates 17 and be guided thereby. Attached edge thereof are slots 6. Onthe to the portions 4 of the end members of the device by angularmembers 22 at the lower edge of the said portions 4 are inwardlyextending plates 23 and on the front of the box secured to the member 13at its lower edge by angular members 24 is an inwardly extending member25 U-shaped in transverse cross section and having spaced parallelplates 26 between which plates the members 23 are adapted to slide andbe guided. v

The relationship as brought out of the several members constituting thebottom of the box is such that they will overlap each other when the boxis in its contracted position and will be fully expanded when the box isexpanding and the movement of the said members will be limited by thesame means which limits the movement of the members which constitute thesides, front and back of the box.

Hinged to the back of the box by hinges 27 at its upper edge is a member27 having upper and lower plates 28 and 29 joined at their hinged edgeby a portion 30. This member is of the same length as the portion 13 ofthe back of the device and is hinged thereto. slidably mounted withinthe aforementioned member are plates 31 and 32 arranged to slidelongitudinally of the said member 27 and be automatically operated bythe engagement of the outwardly extending clips 33 at the side edges ofthe said plates which engage the sides of the box. Extending outwardlyfrom the rearmost corners of the plates 32 are clips 34 which passthrough the slots 34 in the back of the box to hold the said plates inplace when the box is being explained transversely. filidably mountedbetween the plates 28 and 29 of the member 27 is a plate 35 having twoplates 36 and 37 slidably mounted thereon and guided in theirlongitudinal movement by clips 38 which prevent any movementtransversely of the member 35. This member 35 is adapted to slidebetween the members 28 and 29 transversely of the said member and carrywith it the plates 36 and 37 which are then adapted to slidelongitudinally of the plate 35 when the box is expanded longitudinally.

In order that the cover may be automatically expanded the member 35 hasat its front edge a downwardly extending member 39 to engage the frontof the box to move the said member transversely thereof, while themembers 36 and 37 having downwardly extending members 40 and 41 whichengage the ends of the box to expand the said members longitudinally ofthe member 35.

From the foregoing construction it may be readily seen that I haveprovided a box which may be expanded so as to increase its lengthgreatly, or one which may be expanded so as to increase its width, orwhich may be expanded to increase both the width and length at the sametime, and one wherein the cover and bottom thereof will be automaticallyexpanded when the size of the box is increased.

In order that I may successfully expand the box with relation to any ofits dimensions I have provided a shelf 42 supported by brackets 43 onwhich the box is adapted to rest. On the rear edge of this shelf 42 ispivoted at 44 a lever 45, to each end of which is pivotally secured, asat 46, an angular arm 47 which is adapted to extend around the corner ofthe box to engage the same at its ends. When the lever 45 is rotatedabout its pivot the arms 47 by virtue of their engagement with the endsof the box both of said ends extend outwardly and thus expand the boxlongitudinally.

When it becomes necessary to expand the box or to increase itsdimensions transversely I have provided on the under side of the shelf42 a bell crank lever 48 pivoted at 49, and having on one end a pin 50extending upwardly through the slot 51 in the shelf 42, and is adaptedto engage the hole 51' in the bottom of the box. To the other end ofthis lever, as at 52, is attached a link 53 which is at its other endpivotally supported by a lever 54 pivoted to the bracket 43 at 55. Whenthis lever is rotated about its pivot in one direction the pin 50engages the bottom of the box and moves the same so that the transversedimension of the box is increased.

It is to be understood that when the levers 45 and 54 are moved indirections opposite to those which have been described that an expandedbox will be contracted.

I do not wish to be limited to the particular construction of my deviceshown for it is obvious that numerous changes may be made within thescope of the invention without departing from the language of theclaims.

What is claimed is 1. A mailin box comprising an expansible body portionand a cover hinged thereto, the said cover consisting of a membercomprising upper and lower plates, a pair of plates mounted between theplates of the said member and slidable longitudinally thereof, each ofsaid last mentioned plates having a clip on one end thereof arranged toengage the adjacent end of the box, a second pair of plates slidablymounted between the plates of the said member and movable relativelythereto, the said last mentioned plates having clips on the ends thereofarranged to engage the ends of the box, and an additional clip arrangedto engage the forward side of the box.

2. In a mailin box, the combination with an expansible bo y portionincluding a back meme tit;

which consists of a pair of spacedl plates and tionel pair of slidingplates mounted he a pair of slides mounted between said plates tween thelast mentioned pair of plates. 10 and movable with relation thereto, ofa In testimony whereof, I afix my signaleover including a pair of spacedplates ture, in the presence of two witnesses.

hinged to the first mentioned pair of plates ALBERT E. 1i 1 11 SSE,

a, pair of sliding plates mounted between Witnesses:

the last mentioned pair of plates and hinged JAcoB GISH,

to the aforementioned slides and an addi- S. S. S'rnmnn.

